Wireless Device Use by Individuals with Disabilities: Findings from a National Survey

We present findings from the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Inclusive Technologies (Wireless RERC) Survey of User Needs (SUN) for 2017-2018. The Wireless RERC has surveyed wireless technology adoption and use among individuals with disabilities since 2002, and this article presents findings from the sixth iteration of the SUN. Broadly, it continues to find growing rates of adoption of smartphone technologies among people with disabilities relative to the general population. With an increase of smartphone use among individuals with disabilities from 54% in 2012-2013 and 71% in 2015-2016, to 88% in 2017-2018, our findings suggest further narrowing of the digital "disability divide." SUN respondents generally indicated that their devices were easy to use. Regarding device satisfaction, over three-fourths of smartphone users indicated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their smartphones. Relatively less established, newer features such as real-time-text and intelligent personal assistants have yet to be widely adopted. However, the higher-than-average use of real-time-text among individuals who reported deafness or difficulty hearing suggests this features' potential for increasing usability and accessibility of these devices, specifically, and communications, in general. For this version, we added new questions on the adoption and use of next-generation wireless devices, as part of a growing trend toward Internet of Things (IoT)-based "smart homes."

• Salimah LaForce
• Nathan W. Moon

Moon, N.W., Griffiths, P.C., LaForce, S., Linden, M. (2020). Wireless Device Use by Individuals with Disabilities: Findings from a National Survey, Journal on Technology & Persons with Disablities. 8: 196-209.

• Center for Advanced Communications Policy